Fallout Equestria: A New Hope
by Craftman780
Summary: After the passing of Little Pip, a new hope must arise. A young colt by the name of Sketchy Sculpture -along with new friends- must find the GCECK. The Garden of Celestia Creation Kit in hopes that it will restore order and Friendship to the now barren and harsh wasteland known as Equestria.
1. Prologue

If I'm going to tell you about the story of my life, explain how I got to this place with these ponies, and why I did what I'm going to do next, I may as well start by explaining a little bit about Pipbucks. What is a Pipbuck? A Pipbuck is a device. Worn on the foreleg just above the hoof, issued to every pony in a Stable when they become old enough to start work. A blending of unicorn pony magic and science, your PipBuck will keep a constant measure of your health and even help administer healing poultices and other medicine, track and organize everything in your saddlepacks, assist in repairs, and keep all manner of notes and maps available at a hooftap. Plus, it allows you to listen to the Stable broadcast whenever you would like as it can tune into and decrypt just about any radio frequency. And that's not all. A pony's PipBuck generates an E.F.S. (Eyes-Forward Sparkle) that will indicate direction and help gauge whether the ponies or creatures around you are hostile. And, perhaps most impressively, a PipBuck can magically aid you in a fight for brief periods of time through use of the S.A.T.S. (Stable-Tec Arcane Targeting Spell). Oh, and a feature not to be forgotten: it can keep track of the location of tagged objects or people, including the wearers of other PipBucks. So if a pony somehow got lost -- don't ask me how you could get lost in a Stable, but it does happen on occasion -- then anypony who knew the lost pony's tag could find them instantly.

It can even be made to glow like a lamp.

So yes, PipBucks really are a testament to unicorn pony arcane science. And yes, having a PipBuck is a big advantage. So with how wonderful and miraculous all that just sounded, it's hard to impress upon ponies who never lived in a Stable just how ordinary, how pedestrian, a PipBuck was in the eyes of the ponies living in Stable Two. And why I decided to leave the safety of the Stable to find the GCCK. The Garden of Celestia Creation Kit to hopefully restore order and friendship to the now barren wasteland that is now Equestria. So who is the little pony who wants to restore order so badly? My name is, Sketchy Sculpture. A kind and caring pony who loves everypony. Or at least before the war. That damn war. Those damn Zebras. Why would they want to start a war with us? Why would they want to drop megaspells? Why would they want to destroy the beautiful land of Equestria turning it from the lively sprawling land it once was into a barren radiation filled wasteland?

Out there, there is not friendship. Out there, everyone is a killer. Out there, to survive. Is simple. Its either kill or be killed. And I am not a killer. But I will have to start. Because it is a now harsh world. It is now a land filled with ponies, griffons, etc. who want you dead. I am not going to die tonight. Or any day after that. Until I find the GCCK, I will not stop until I do. I will restore order. I will restore friendship.

I am... A new Hope.


	2. Chapter One

As I happily trot over to my room, I checked my Pipbuck for the time. 3:00pm. I smiled. "Time for Cosmic's new song." I said to myself as I tuned my Pipbuck to the Stable's broadcast. "Hello ponies!" A scratchy male voice began. "Its time for a new song from everyponies favorite DJ, Cosmic Wave! I hope you will enjoy it. He put his blood sweat and tears into this new album. And he hopes you all will enjoy it too. Now I'm going to stop rambling. Everypony enjoy." He stopped talking, and a series of wubs began emitting from the device. I smiled and slightly bobbed my head to the beat. "This is fantastic!" I said to myself as I walked back to my room. Which was right next to Paint Pallet. Stable two's skilled artist. "I think I should become an art pony." I said softly looking back to my flank where my cutiemark resides. A pencil crossing a paintbrush. I then stopped, and opened the door to my room. I slightly lowered the volume, and sat on the bed. Still bobbing my head. When the song was over, I smiled. But was sad it had to end.

"That was his new song, Electric Eel." The announcer said. A smile in his voice. "How did everypony enj-" His voice was cut out by me turning off the broadcast. "He sure can come up with good names." I smiled as I sat there. I then heard my door open. It was Pallet. A beautiful unicorn mare with a light pink coat, purple eyes, with matching mane and tail, and a paint pallet for her cutiemark. Hence her name. "Hey, Pallet." I smiled. "Whats up?" I asked hopping off the bed, and trotting happily over to the door. "Nothing much. Whats up with you?" She replied. Her voice as smooth as a hot knife through butter. "Nothing much. Just listened to Cosmic's new song." I smiled. "What do you need?" She asked. "I need your help." She replied. I looked confused. She never came to me for help. "You do?" I asked. She nodded. "Mhm. Follow me." She replied turning around. I followed her, and together, we walked over to the Stables mess hall. Lots of ponies. Some just chilling while others were playing checkers or eating. I looked to the far back wall where there was an unfinished mural.

"Ooh. What is it?" I asked. I really couldn't tell what it was. But I had a feeling knowing her, it would look beautiful when it was done. She looked to me. "What the wastes used to be." She said. My ears perked up. Equestria before the war. "I'll go get something to drink." I said turning and looking to the Sparkle-Cola machine. "Alright." She smiled as she trotted to the mural. I trotted over the the machine, and realized my saddlebags were in my locker in my room. I turned around, and promptly walked to my room to get one. Because thats all the machine needs. One cap for a bottle of ice cold Sparkle-Cola. I opened the locker when I got back in the room, and took a bottle cap out. "Wait. I'll have to carry this cap around with me." I thought. I then decided to take my saddlebags with me. I swung them over my back, and checked my Pipbuck for any caps I might have inside. '100' it read. I smiled, and walked back to the mess hall, and back over to the soda machine while fished a cap out of my saddlebag.

When I got there, I put the cap in the slot, and got a bottle of ice cold Sparkle-Cola in return. I used the bottle opener on the side of the machine to open the bottle. The cap came off with a pop and that familiar fsss rang out from the bottle. I put the cap inside, and got yet another bottle. Using the bottle opener while I chugged mine. It tasted so good. When I was finished, I burped in my mouth. Not wanting Pallet to be grossed out by me. Though, she was probably already grossed out by some of the ponies here already. So she was probably used to it by now. I trotted with the opened bottle of Sparkle-Cola over to the back wall where Pallet was stationed, and the mural resides. "Thank you." She said as I handed her the bottle. "Your welcome." I replied with a smile. "Where's yours?" She asked. "I already drank mine." I smiled. "Oh. Hehe." She giggled. I then looked to the unfinished mural. "My plan is to have it cover the whole wall. And it is too big a project for me to finish alone." She explained.

"And that is why I called you for help. You are practically the only other artist. I saw your work by the way. Its almost as good as mine." She smiled levitating a paintbrush in her magic. I also picked one up with my magic. We both trotted up to the unfinished mural. Pallet did the planning and most of the painting while I did the little details. We had gotten about 1/4th of the way done when I checked my Pipbuck for the time again. '11:26pm' it read. I yawned. "You tire-" Pallet began. But was cut off mid sentence by a yawn. Even her yawns were adorable. I smiled. "Yeah. You ready to go to bed?" I asked setting the paintbrush down. Pallet did the same. We walked together to the rooms but parted ways to go to our separate rooms. When I opened the door, I walked in, and sat on the bed. I looked to the black locker in the room, and heard my stomach growl which made my ears perk up. I slid off the bed and walked over to the locker. Opening it, there were lots of red apples, and purified water.

I had not really smuggled it, just kept it for the future. I smiled as I levitated an apple out of the locker with my magic and closed the locker biting into it. These apples are freshly grown down in the Stable's apple farms on the third floor. This apple was particularly juicy. Sweet apple juice dribbled down my chin. I wiped it off with a hoof and swallowed. Taking another bite after. In a minute, only the core remained. I trotted over to the mess hall and threw it away there. Not wanting to stink up my room when the apple began to decay. I then happily trotted over to Pallet's room knocking on the door which opened. I walked into the room and smiled. Paintings were strewn about the walls. Most of them were hers. I had made some for her on occasion. I smiled as I looked around her art littered room. "All this looks beautiful." I commented. "Thank you." She smiled. "Your welcome." I said as I finally stopped looking around her room and straight at her. Her eyes were a beautiful amethyst purple while mine were emerald green. "Your eyes look beautiful to." I complimented.

She blushed softly, and I smiled. "Thank you. Yours are to." She replied. "Thank you." I replied. "Hang on." I said squinting. Her face twisted into a look of confusion. "What is it?" She asked. I walked closer to her. Luckily she was lying on the bed. She we were eye level. "Theres something on your lip. Let me get it for you." I said raising a hoof and bringing it closer to her lips. I then quickly replaced my hoof with my lips. I pressed firmly against hers in a deep passionate kiss. Her eyes widened, and I felt she was about to push away. "Please don't." I pleaded to myself. Luckily, she gave into the kiss and kissed back. Wrapping her hooves around my neck. "Score!" I exclaimed in my head. I brought a hoof to her cheek, and she moaned softly leaning into my touch. I then broke the kiss. Which left her and I lightly panting. She turned as red as the apple I had ate earlier. She was speechless. "W- wow. your a great k- kisser." I said. Her blush became that of a crimson color. "Th- thank you. You are t- too." She replied.

"But why did you k- kiss me?" She asked starting to regain control of her breathing. I again brought a hoof to her cheek. "I love you, Pallet." I replied. She blushed even harder. "I- I love you to." She replied hugging me tightly. I hugged back, and began running my hoof up and down her back. She then broke the hug and scooted away from me. I looked curious. She then pat the large open spot on the bed she had just made. I smiled as I knew what she was doing. "Sleep with me?" She asked. I nodded blushing hard and climbing in bed. She looked curious. "Why are you blushing?" She asked. "I- I never slept with a mare before. Or anypony for that matter." I replied. She felt sympathy for me. She wrapped her hooves tightly around my waist. "Aww. Don't worry. I'll keep you warm." She cooed. I looked to her and she placed a kiss on my muzzle. I smiled and wrapped my hind legs around her levitating the green sheet on top of us both. She smiled, and nuzzled into my chest. Her ear twitched slightly. She must have found my beating heart.

I stroked her mane and smiled as she lie there listening to my heart. "You find anything?" I asked jokingly. "Yes." She replied yawning. My smile grew wider. "Theres that adorable yawn again." I smiled as I leaned down and kissed her other ear which twitched. "Goodnight." She said falling asleep. "Goodnight." I replied. "What do you want to do in the morning?" She asked. "Eat breakfast, work on the mural some more, and cuddle some more." I smiled. "I'd like that." She smiled as she looked up to me. I looked down to her and smiled kissing her muzzle like she had mine earlier. She giggled which made me smile wider. "Goodnight." I cooed stroking her mane. She looked up to me and closed her eyes lying her head back down on my chset. "Goodnight." She replied. I checked my Pipbuck for the time. '12:01am' already the next morning. "Or goodmorning." I chuckled. "Is it morning already?" She asked. I shook my head. "No. The sun doesn't rise till 6. Its 12:01." I replied kissing her head. She smiled and nuzzled deeper in my coat. "I love you." She cooed. My ears perked up. "Did I just hear that correctly? Did she just say she loved me?" I asked myself looking down to her. "I love you to." I replied. "I can't believe this! The hottest mare in probably the Stable -Maybe even all of the wastes- just said she loved me!" I exclaimed to myself. I began to ponder what this would mean for my future. "Would I marry her? Would I ever get to second base? All the other stallions do. So why should I be any different?" I began to ask myself all these questions. But it was cut short as I fell asleep.

I awoke the next morning to find Pallet was no longer in my arms. I looked at my Pipbuck for the time. '10:00am' it read. "Wow. I sure slept a bit last night." I said as I began to get out bed when I noticed something strange. Pallets Pipbuck was opened on the end of the bed. "Why is her Pipbuck here?" I asked as I walked over to it to examine it. On the blue screen, there was an encrypted message. I tapped the play button. A voice began to emit from the device. "The override code to the door of Stable two is, CAL2SIS. They changed it since the last one. Little Pip. She went out to go find the Stable's musician, Velvet Remedy after she had left the Stable. Rarity out." The recording then stopped there. My eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "The Stable door override code?! How did Pallet get this?!" I asked myself as I levitated her Pipbuck in the air, and into my saddlebag which was sitting next to her Pipbuck. I looked to her locker which had a padlock on it. I searched around for a key or a bobby pin to unlock the locker. I looked in the desk by the door, and low and behold, there was a key. I took said key and unlocked the lock which came undone with a click. I threw the small padlock on the ground, and opened her locker. On the top shelf lie a 10mm pistol with three boxes of 80 rounds in each next to the gun. I did not want to know how Pallet smuggled the gun by the guards, but I took it anyway. Along with the last few items inside. Purified water, a small pouch which I shook.

"Bottle caps." I said as I shoved the pouch into my saddlebag. There were even some rad-X, and stimpacks which I took all of. The left saddlebag was getting full. I picked the lock back up, and put it back on the locker and put the key back in the drawer on the desk incase somepony were to for some reason interrogate her room. I then left her room, and walked over to mine. I opened my locker, and put the contents of said locker into the right saddlebag to distribute the weight. I looked to my Pipbuck for the weight. '5 pounds/20 pounds' it read. I finally was ready to head out. I walked out of the room, and went up to the first floor using an elevator. When the elevator stopped, I got off, and turned to the left to see the large steel door of Stable two. It was probably very thick to keep radiation out. I did a double-take to see if there were any guards. Because I suspected when the last pony left her... Little Pip I think. They should have cracked down security. But thankfully, two Earth pony guards were asleep.

"Sleeping on the job huh?" I chuckled to myself as I quietly made my way to a computer. "OK." I said taking a deep breath. Hoping I remembered the code. I began punching in characters. "C. A. L. 2. S. I. S." I said to myself as I typed the characters into the interface and pressed 'Enter'. I then walked over to a panel with a small switch which I suspected was for the entire door. "Here it goes." I said as I flipped the switch with my magic. A spinning orange light and alarm sounded. The guards' eyes snapped open. "Oh buck!" I said as I ran toward the opening door. A guard was hot on my tail. I rushed through the door, and the guard stopped. I looked back. "Whats a matter? Too chicken?" I taunted the guard who backed away. I grinned. "You will never be let back in." He said with a booming voice emphasizing 'never'. "I'm going to find Pallet." I replied. "She left last night. How do you know you will? She's probably dead by now." The guard said as the door was now almost shut. With a hiss and a bang, it shut.

The door to Sable two shut. Leaving me in complete darkness. I activated my Pipbucks lamp, and gasped. The skeletons of dead ponies littered ground. "What the hell happened?" I asked obviously not knowing an answer. I looked around, and saw a faint glimmer of light. I turned the green light of my Pipbuck off, and trotted toward the light. I went up a flight of stairs, and pushed open a door which looked to be the door to a cellar. Sunlight flooded my eyes. Making it too bright to see. Once my eyes adjusted, I cupped my hooves over my mouth in shock as I saw what had happened. The land of Equestria was now practically nothing. Nothing but flattened land as far as the eye could see. I stepped out of the cellar and shut the doors. "What the buck happened?!" I asked myself angrily as I collapsed and broke down like a young colt. I repeatedly slammed my hoof into the dirt. "Its just a dream. I'll wake up soon in. My bed with Pallet." I said to myself as I opened my eyes and looked back up. It wasn't a dream. "Celestia damnit! Who could have done this?!" I asked as I wiped my tears away and stood back up. "I don't know how Pallet. But I will bring you back." I proclaimed as I began walking into what was now the wastes of Equestria.


	3. Chapter Two

As I drew farther and farther from the stable, the world grew more and more silent. I looked back. A farm in ruins. Tree stumps everywhere. "Who could have done this?" I asked myself. I looked ahead, and somepony was infront of me. I jumped. "You scared me." I said. "Good." The pony grinned. A mare with a scruffy mane. Out from behind her came three more ponies. One with a sawed off shotgun in his teeth, another with a bat, and the other with spiked shoes. I gulped. "Aww. We ain't scaring you too bad are we?" She asked. Mocking a mothers sweet tender tone. I nodded slowly. The mare looked to the stallions, and nodded. They all crept up toward me. "Oh shit. I'v gotta get out of here." I said to myself as I quickly looked over the land for an escape rout. I turned and began running the other way as fast as my hooves could carry me. "HELP!" I screamed. All the other ponies began chasing after me. I kept running, and did not look back. I then heard the crack of a rifle. This scared me even more. "And a sniper pony too?!" I asked myself as I kept running. "Shit!" The mare yelled. Another two shots were fired. I turned back around, and saw the three stallions lying on the grounds. Their brains across the dirt, and blood still pouring from the wholes in their skulls. I immediately felt sick. But I walked closer to the mare, and pulled out the 10mm pistol from Pallets locker. I still couldn't believe she had it in her locker. And nopony noticed. I cocked the gun, and this made her ear twitch. She gulped audibly. "Run." I said before I lowered the gun. She bolted off.  
Before she was even twenty feet away, I took aim, and pulled the trigger. A loud 'Bang!' Erupted from the gun, and into the wastes. The mare fell on her face, and blood began to leak from the back of her head. I held the gun out incase anypony else tried to kill me. "She was mine!" I heard a voice. It sounded like a complaint. "Oh yeah? Well, you should have shot first!" I shot back. Then, silence. I heard hoofsteps behind me. I turned around, and saw a unicorn with a sniper. Jet black with a scope. I pointed my pistol at him. "Wow! Hey! Is that any way to treat somepony who just saved your flank?!" He asked. "Take off your helmet." I instructed waving the gun around. "I take orders from nopony. And watch where you point that thing." He said. "I suppose you'r like them too? Hiding behind that helmet and waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike." I assumed. "No I am not. And besides, If I wanted you dead, I would have killed you by now." He said as his helmet took on the same red glow as his horn, and sniper. He removed his helmet. A stallion with a white coat, red eyes, and blond buzz cut mane stood there. "You are just be saying that." I said. He tossed his gun aside. "No. I. Am. Not." He said firmly. The stallion even went the extra mile, and stepped away from the sniper. I stepped in front of him. I even put my gun in my saddlebag. "Lead." The stallion said extending his hoof. I assumed that was his name. "Sketchy." I replied. The stallion lowered his hoof, but smiled and brought me into a hug. I did nothing but hug back.  
"I know you'r afraid. And judging by that uniform, I'd say you'r not from around here." He guessed as he broke the hug. "I'm from Stable two." I said pointing to the farm I had came from only a few minutes ago. "A barn?" He chuckled. "No. The cellar. Inside is a massive underground bunker known as a stable." I replied. Lead levitated his sniper, and put it on his back. "A stable huh?" He said looking back to me. "Yeah. I left like ten minutes ago." I replied nodding. "And what's that thing you got?" He asked as he pointed to my foreleg. I lifted the leg in question, and my Pipbuck filled my vision. "This is what's known as a Pipbuck. It can do lots of things." I said as I tapped a button. The screen changed to my inventory. I showed him the screen. "This is everything thats in my saddlebags." I said as I scrolled through the items. Food, water, ammo, etc.. I then lowered my leg. "Thats so cool. Where can I get one of those?" He asked. "From the stable. But good luck trying to get in." I scoffed. "Oh?" He questioned. "Yeah. Before I left, I was told I would never be let back in." I said tearing up. "Hey. You alright?" He asked. I looked to him. The tears starting to fall down my face. I shook my head and hugged him tight crying into him armor. He ran his hoof through my mane, and down my back. This calmed me down quickly. "I- it was my home." I sniffled. "Well, you've got to move on. You win some you lose some right?" He said. I looked up to him. His eyes staring back into mine. I nodded and hugged him again.  
He hugged back. "I know you'r afraid. And thats fine. Fear is good. It's apart of us. We all have our strengths and weaknesses." Lead said. They sat there for a good few minutes before I wiped my eyes, and stood back up. We began to walk together. We reached a tree which had one whole side missing. We walked up to the spot where the door must have been, and saw there were torsos and entrails of ponies festooned about the room like party decor. But this made me sick to my stomach. It made me even more sick as the smell of rotting bodies filled my nostrils. Lead walked inside, and heard a floorboard creak. The produced a knife from his back leg, and held it in a stabbing motion in his magic. I took my gun out, and held it in front of me. "Stay alert. These raider scum could be anywhere." He whispered as he looked around. "Who you callen' scum?" A voice called. A mare. We whipped around, and towards a cage. I did not hesitate. I fired, and the mare dropped dead. Lead walked over to the cage. A filly with a rag in its mouth lie there. Her eyes then opened. "She's alive?!" I said in shock. "Yeah. That's what these raider bastards do to poor fillies like her." He said taking the butt of his knife, and busting the lock off. He swung the door open and his red glow enveloped the filly. Her eyes said it all. Afraid. Wanting to go home. Wanting her mother. "Shhh. It's OK. I promise I won't hurt you. He said cradling the young filly and rocking her while taking the rag out of her mouth. "W- Wheres mommy?" She asked. Her voice sounded very afraid.  
"Sweetie, I am so sorry. Your mother is dead." He said softly. The fillies eyes began to water. "M- mommy?" She said stammering out of pure shock. She began to cry. "Shhh." Lead tried his best to calm the cigar burned filly down. To some extant, it worked. "Its alright. I'll take good care of you. I promise." Lead smiled softly at the filly. Her expression she wore on her face was still that of pure terror. While Lead tended to the filly, I walked into an area with more 'decorations'. "This is fucking awful. Why would somepony do this?" I asked myself. I then saw a fridge. I opened it up, and a rotting head came into view. I jumped, and became sick again. I threw up next to the fridge. "You alright in there?" I heard Leads' voice. "Theres a head in the fridge." I replied. I closed the door to the fridge which wasn't working and walked back into the room Lead and the filly were stationed in. I looked over, and saw he still had the filly in her arms. He was singing a lullaby. "Hush now quiet now its time to lay your sleepy head. Hush now quiet now it's time to go to bed..." He sang. "His voice is angelic." I said to myself. The filly fell asleep soon after. "We should go." I said. Lead looked to my. "Why's that?" He asked slowly rocking the filly. I looked to the sun, and saw it was beginning to set. "One, it's getting late. Two, we wouldn't want to be caught by more of those freaks would we?" I asked. "Raiders." Lead said. "Huh?" I questioned. "They are called Raiders." Lead said enveloping the filly in his magic's red aura and standing. "Oh." I replied.  
We soon found a small shack. We walked inside, and saw two mattresses. They both had stains on them. I suspected it was from sex they may have had with the raider mares. I flopped down on one not caring what the stains would have been. Lead lie on his side, and hold the filly close. I fell asleep instantly I was so tired. While lead ran his hoof through the fillies mane. He used his magic to close the door in case either raiders showed up, or there was a draft, and they got cold. But even I know this isn't home. Lead soon fell asleep holding the precious filly close. I awoke the next morning and looked to my Pipbuck for the time. '7:00am' it read. I looked ahead to see Lead still sleeping. I got up, and walked over to him. "Lead." I called in a whisper. His ear twitched and his eye opened. "Hm..?" He replied sleepily. "Wake up." I said. "He closed his eye. "Five more minutes." He groaned. I chuckled. "Fine." I said in defeat. I looked to the filly who was still asleep in his arms, and kissed her head. A smile spread across her lips and she snuggled deeper into Leads chest. I smiled in return. "Whats your name...?" I said to myself. I looked back to my Pipbuck. '7:02am'. "Its almost time, Lead. Three more minutes." I said. He groaned again. The filly giggled. Leads' eyes opened. He smiled. "OK. I'm up." He said releasing the filly. I lie down. "Come on." I smiled. The filly climbed up on my back, and giggled. I smiled as I slowly rose off the ground. Not wanting her to fall off. "What's your name, Sweetie?" I asked. "I don't know." She replied.  
I looked back back to Lead. "What do you suggest we call her?" I asked. Lead brought a hoof to his chin in thought. "Hmm..." He thought. "Sweetie Drops?" He asked. I smiled. "I like it." I replied. "Ye!" He smiled and clapped his hooves on the wooden floor. I chuckled, then looked back to the filly. "Well, Sweetie Drops, are you hungry?" I asked. She nodded. "Yeah!" She exclaimed. "Alright." I gave her an apple and some water. "This should suffice right?" I asked myself. She ate the apple, and gulped down the water. I then found myself get thirsty, and levitate a bottle of purified water out of my saddlebag, unscrewed the cap, threw it on the floor, and gulped some water. I finished that bottle, and threw it on the floor too. "You ready?" I asked. Lead levitated his helmet and put it on. "Yeah. Let's go." He said. The filly held my neck tightly. "He's scary!" She cried. "Its OK, Sweetie. Its still him." I said. Lead took his helmet off, and smiled. "It's still me." He said. "O- oh." She said. Lead put his helmet back on, and continued walking. I caught up to him.  
"So where do you want to go?" I asked. "Another of those Stable things. If we can find one of them, we can be safe. Provided the door works." He said. "There are more Stable?" I questioned. He nodded. "Yeah. I saw one the other day. It's in Canterlot." He said. "Great. We should get there by night." I said. "Or where ever it is." I added. Knowing I have never left the stable and don't know where any on the locations are made me feel dumb. I looked to my Pipbucks map, and saw a load of places and their locations. Sweet apple acres was behind us. That must have been where I came from. I looked ahead, saw Canterlot. It looked very far. "Maybe two days." I said zooming out using the scroll wheel. I lowered my Pipbuck and continued walking. As we continued walking, I kept periodically checking my Pipbuck for the time and distance from Canterlot. "So whats in that Stable?" I asked. Lead shrugged. "Never been inside." He replied. "All the inhabitants are probably dead by now." I assumed. "HEY!" A voice called. It sounded far. I took my 10mm pistol out and stood ready.  
We looked around but did not see anypony. I looked up in the sky. "There!" I called pointing my gun to the pegasus stallion hovering in the air. "This is our territory!" The pegasus shouted. "Oh yeah?! Why's that?!" Lead shot back. "We took over the Stable! It's pegasi territory now!" The pegasus replied. "We'll see about that!" I called back. Lead quickly drew his sniper, took aim and fired. But missed! The pegasus dodged the bullet! I had the chance. I fired my gun, and missed as well. "Damnit! He's too fast!" I said. Lead drew a combat knife from the holster on his back leg, and threw the knife at the stallion. He had no time to react. The knife was coming too fast. It lodged in his head and he fell to the ground dead. Lead walked up to the stallion, and picked his knife out of his skull. "Looks like we arrived sooner than we thought." I said as blood began to poor out of his head. "Yeah." Lead tossed his sniper to the ground, and picked up the saddle like device off of the stallions back, and put it on. "Whats that?" I asked. "A battle saddle. This one is equipped with twin mounted HMG's or heavy machine guns. I tend to aim for horns for unicorns so they dont have a fighting chance, or wings for pegasi so they can't get away, or, the center of mass for Earth." Lead explained. He levitated the sniper, and I noticed his aura was now black. "Why is you'r aura black now?" I asked. "That happens." He replied. "That is a little strange. I'v never seen that before." I began as I continued walking. "That was scary." Sweetie said. I looked back to her. "It's over now."  
We soon made it to the large steel door of Stable 3. "Here it is. Now, if this panel works, we should be able to get inside." He said approaching the panel, and flipping the small switch. A loud buzzing sounded from an alarm. Pegasi came at us from all over. "Shit. We've got company!" I said as my horn lit up. Lead shot at them. The bullets began pouring out of the machine. Some of them stupidly staying in the same place, and being obliterated by the barrage of bullets. I formed a shield with my magic. But just before the shield was formed, a bullet slipped through, and lodged itself into my leg. I howled in pain. Lead heard it, but did not look as he was too busy killing pegasi. As the Stable door opened, pegasi were now all around us. I was slowly being drained of all my strength the more the shield was up. "A bullet is in my leg!" I shouted over the sounds of all the guns firing. "And I feel weak!" I added. Leads horn lit up red, and a ball of red surrounded us. My green glow faded, and I fell to my knees. From both the pain, and me feeling so weak. The sound of the bullet ricocheting off the shield, and coming from the the pegasis' guns, and Leads slowly faded into nothing as I blacked out. I awoke later to the soft ping of a heart monitor filling my ears. I groaned. "Sketch. It's OK. It's all over now." Lead looked down to me. "Wh- where's Sweetie?" I asked. Lead pointed with a hoof to his left. I looked in the direction, and saw she was placidly sleeping. I smiled, closed my eyes, and let out a sigh.


	4. Chapter Three

It had been two days since we arrived at the Stable. Lead removed the bullet while I was out, and went through the whole thing to see if there were any stray pegasi while I recovered. I looked over to Sweetie who was laying next to me. "How are you?" I asked. "Good. Knowing you are ok." She replied. I smiled and held her close. "Thank you." I said kissing the top of her head. The little unicorn filly giggled. "Your welcome." She nestled into my neck. I lie there closing my eyes. My saddlebags were on the bed she was on two days prior. My horn lit up, and I levitated an apple over to myself, and took a bite out of it. The crunch of the apple caused Sweeties ear to twitch. She looked up. "Are you hungry?" She asked. I nodded and chewed the apple in my mouth swallowing a moment later. "Yeah. Are you?" I asked. She nodded in reply. "Why don't you go find the cafeteria, and wait there." I said. She hopped off the bed and trotted toward the door looking back. "I love you." She said before headed out into the Stables halls. My ear twitched. "Did I hear that correctly?" I asked myself. My smile grew wider and a tear formed in my eye. "I love you too." I said softly. The tear running down my cheek. Lead came into the room. "Hey. You doing better?" He asked walking over to a desk. He set his helmet on said desk, and sat in the chair. "Yeah. Haven't tried walking yet." I chuckled. "You need as least weight on that leg as possible to recover. I'd say about two weeks until you can walk again." He smiled. I smiled back. "Good." I said.

Lead stood up, and smiled. "I'm glad your alright." He smiled walking over to the bed. I smiled back. "Me too. And I'm glad at least _somepony_ out in this shithole cares about me." Lead and I laughed. But it was cut short by a high pitched scream. "Sweetie!" Lead and I said in unison. He ran off while I stayed there. Keeping all weight off this leg like her said. As Lead rushed toward the source of the scream, he saw Sweetie run the other way. A service bot floated a foot or two above the ground. Lead laughed. "Sweetie, it's OK. It won't hurt you!" He laughed. Sweetie stopped, and Lead looked back to the robot stopped. "How may I help you?" It asked in a metallic voice. "Would you help us find our way around the Stable?" He asked. "Yes, sir." The bot said. Lead smiled. "Follow me." The bot said turning the other way, and floating off. Lead followed it as it floated down the halls. Sweetie ran into the room, and hopped onto the bed nuzzling into my chest. "What happened?" I asked frantically. "A- a big scary robot!" She cried. I knew what she meant. A service bot. "That 'big scary robot' is a service bot. It will not hurt you." I laughed. "I- it won't?" She asked. "No silly." I smiled. "What does it do?" She asked. "It can help you find your way around the Stable, but ponies really don't get lost often but it does happen on occasion." I explained. "And where's Lead?" I asked. "I don't know." She replied hopping off the bed. I looked down, and saw the bandage was on my front right leg. I then got out of bed, and kept my bandaged leg in the air.

"Let's see if we can find the bot." I said limping into the hall. I looked left, then right. "Service bot!" I called. The bot turned around, and floated towards us. Sweetie still hid behind me. I smiled. "How may I help you?" It asked. "The cafeteria please." I replied. "Follow me." It said. I followed it as it floated down the hall. Sweetie followed next to me. I looked to her and smiled. She smiled back. We followed the bot until we reached the mess-hall. I saw Lead take a cap, and put it in the Sparkle-Cola machine. I smiled as I limped into the mess-hall. "Lead!" I called. He turned, and smiled. "Hey, Sketch." He smiled. "You'v been putting any weight on that leg?" He asked. "No." I replied as I drew nearer to him. He smiled. "Good." He said as he opened the bottle, took the cap, and put it on top of the machine. I took it in my magic, and used it to get myself one. I used the bottle opener on the side of the machine. "I want one!" Sweetie whined. I turned to her holding the mouth to her lips.

She took a sip, and smacked her lips examining the taste. "I love it!" She cried. I smiled. "I'll get you one then." I smiled. My horn lit up. Along with the bottle cap. "I wanna do it!" She said. The soft green glow around my horn and the cap faded. Sweetie focused on the cap. Her horn began to flicker a purple color along with the cap. Lead and I looked to her smiling widely. "You can do it!" Lead cheered her on. Sweetie smiled and the cap began to float! I clapped my hooves together. "You'r doing it! Great job!" I said as the cap floated to the slot of the machine. I smiled waiting for her to put it in the slot, and claim her reward. But the cap hit its face, and covered the slot. "Here. Let me help." Lead said. "No!" Sweetie cried. The cap turned, and moved forward slowly sliding itself into the slot. Lead and I had a smile which was growing wider and wider by the second. "You'r so close!" Lead cheered her on. The cap slid into the slot, and the soft purple glow around her horn faded, and the cap fell into the machine. A moment later, a Sparkle-Cola bottle dropped out of the machine. Lead and I clapped our hooves applauding her for her efforts. "Great job!" I said. "You are a fast learner." Lead complimented. Her horn lit up again, and the bottle began to glow the same color. The bottle moved out of the machine, and over to Lead. She wanted him to open it for her. He took the bottle in his magic's grasp, and opened the bottle. Taking the cap, and setting it on the table next to her. He then gave the bottle back to her. She then set the bottle on the floor, and picked it up in her hooves and began drinking. We applauded her again. "Great job!" Lead said with a smile. Sweetie smiled too. "Im so proud!" I cheered. "Yay!" She smiled. Once she was finished with her soda, she burped and giggled. Lead and I chuckled. "Come on. Let's get you to a room." Lead said levitating her onto his back. She giggled and I smiled. "Service bot!" I called. A service bot came floating in through the entry way of the mess-hall. "What may I help you with?" It asked. "Living quarters please." I said. "I would be happy to help." It replied. We all followed the robot as it floated out of the mess-hall, and into the halls of the Stable. We walked slowly behind the robot because of my limp. "I'm looking for somepony." I said. Lead looked to me. "Who?" He asked. "Pallet. My Stables artist. She said she loved me the night before, but disappeared the next morning." I said frowning. We soon arrived at the living quarters. "Thank you." Lead said to the service bot. "You are welcome." It said.

It then floated down the halls. I opened the door, and limped inside. It was the same as Stable two. A locker, a bed, and a desk by the door with a first aid kit above the desk. A limped to the bed, and sat on the bed. "This isn't home." I said softly as a tear formed in my eye. I then lie my head on the pillow and wept softly into it. I then felt a hoof on my shoulder. I looked up from the now tear stained pillow to see Lead standing there. "I know it isn't your Stable, but it is a Stable nonetheless." Lead said. I sniffled. "I shouldn't have left..." I said. "You left for a good cause. To find somepony special. Who thinks you're special." He said. "I- I guess." I said. Lead hugged me tightly and I hugged back. "It's ok. You'll find her. I know you will." He smiled as he broke the hug. I took my Pipbuck off, and levitated it in my magic. "Why are you taking your thing off?" He asked. "Pipbuck." I corrected, and opened the locker. "I take it off when ever I go to sleep. And whenever the padding starts to chafe." I added putting it on the topmost shelf of the locker, and placing my saddlebags underneath and closing the locker. "Well, if you need any help with stuff, I am a but of a tinkerer. I can't help you with your Pipbuck because I have never saw one. But other things like building a makeshift scope, silencer for a gun, or anything else, you know who to call." He smiled. I limped to him once more and gave him a big tight hug. "Thank you, Lead." I said as I broke the hug.

I limped back to the bed. "I'll be right next door. So if you need anything, just knock." He said exiting my room, and disappearing around the corner. I smiled as I got back in bed. All the positive talk from Lead filled me with determination. The determination that I will one day find Pallet, and bring her back. Back home to where she belongs. Stable two. I closed my eyes, and fell asleep. Or at least tried to. My eyes opened back up. I stared at the grey ceiling for a good ten minutes before getting up, and sighing. As I walked nextdoor to Lead's room, and knocked, "Come in." I heard from within the room. I opened the door, and entered the room. "I can't sleep." I announced. "Oh?" He questioned as he walked to the bed, and lie in it. I got in bed next to him, and he used his hooves to pull me close. I closed my eyes, and let out a content sigh. "I don't care if you are a stallion. It just feels good to know somepony cares about me. And that pony doesn't mind sharing a bed with others." I said as I closed my eyes again. My eyes then shot open as I felt a pair of wings wrap around me. "You're a pegasus too?!" I exclaimed. "Yeah." He replied. "How?" I asked. "When I was 9, I found out I was an experiment. When I was just 16, I joined the NCR. Or, New Canterlot Republic. Then, just two years later, at 18, I joined the NCR Rangers. And finally, at 25, I was discharged after testifying in court." He explained. "Wow." Was the only word that left my mouth. "Do you know the name for the mix?" He asked. "I think it is an Alicorn. I used to read about them. It said they were royalty. And that there were two sisters. I think their names were Celestia and Luna." I replied. "I am not royalty." He said. "Well, you're an-" I was cut off by Lead. "Artificial Alicorn." He said. "So thats what the experiment was?" I asked. "Yes. I used to be a normal unicorn just like you. That is after they took me away from my family. I was then their lab pony. Experiment after experiment was conducted on me." He growled. "How long?" I asked. "10 years." He replied. "I'm sorry." I said. "For what?" He asked. "Bringing this us. Bringing back all those bad memories." I said sadly. "Hey. It's ok." He said holding me close and running a hoof through my mane. I closed my eyes as he stroked. "At least you don't think I'm a freak." He said. My ears perked. "I would never." I said. "Thank you. Even if I were a goul?" He asked. "What's a goul?" I asked. "A zombie pony. A goul is a disgusting creature. And that's not even the worst part." He said. "What's the worst?" I asked. "A goul can be created from heavily irradiated areas if a pony stays in that area for too long. And when that happens, the 'goulification process' begins. When that starts, there is no going back. When a goul is created, the pony keeps his or her ability to speak, along with some complex functions like the ability to reason, and morals for a while. Sometimes forever, sometimes, a few months. The process of pony to goul slowly eats at their souls until there is nothing left." He explained. "Thats terrible." I commented. He closed his eyes. "It is."

"Is there anyway to turn them back?" I asked. "No." He said closing his eyes. "And it's getting late. Get some sleep." He said. I closed my eyes, and did what I wanted. Drift off to sleep.


	5. Chapter Four

I awoke with a yawn. Lead still had his hooves and wings around me. I smiled as I lie there for a few minutes. I then wriggled free of his grip, and quickly rolled over his wing to cause him as least pain as I could knowing his wings might be sensitive. Once I was free, I got out of bed, and walked into the hall to find the Stables showers. Luckily, they were on the same floor as the living quarters. I walked in, took my Stable suit off, and turned the shower on. Once it was warm enough, I stood under it. The hot water ran over my body. I let out a soft content moan. Once I was done showering, I turned the water off, grabbed a towel and dried myself off and walked back to my room with my Stable's suit in my magics grasp. I set the sopping towel on the desk, and slipped my suit back on. When my suit was back on, I opened the locker, took out my Pipbuck, and put it on. Along with my saddlebag. The Pipbuck snapped to my foreleg with a click. I smiled as I checked the time. 9:00. I smiled as I lowered my leg, and tried to put some weight on my right leg. I pulled away when I found it still hurt as if the bullet were still inside me bouncing around and hitting every nerve in my leg. "Damnit." I said softly. I looked to my leg. "Heal damn you." I said. I limped back to Leads room who was up and putting his armor on. "What kind of armor is that?" I asked. And with one quick motion, I was pinned against the wall. A blood stained knife to my throat.

His expression then softened from anger to sorrow. "Sketchy! I'm so sorry! Don't scare me like that!" He apologized. I was shocked by what I had just been through. Part of me wanted to grip him in a tight hug. The other part wanted to run. I said nothing. Just stood there. He waved a hoof in front of my face. "You alright?" He asked. Still dead with fear. My mouth still agape. My heart pounding. "I do not know what to do." I said to myself. I then bolted out the door and down the hall. Lead chased after me. "Sketchy! I'm sorry!" He shouted. I kept quiet but kept running. I quickly turned the corner in hopes of losing him. But I didn't. He found me hugging me tightly. "Shh." He said stroking my mane trying to calm me down. This was working. "Its ok." He said holding me close. I hugged back and nuzzled into his chest. "Y- you could have killed me." I said still a little scared. "But I didn't. Thankfully I recognized you." He said with a smile. He wrapped his wings around me as he did not have his chest-plate on. "And the armor is custom by the way. Made of parts I scavenged, and the body armor is my own design by the way." He said smiling and kissing my forehead. "Cool." I said now completely calm. Being wrapped in Lead's wings filled me with determination. He stood up. "Let's head back to the room." He said walking back the direction I had ran. I followed him, and we soon made it back to the room. Lead finished putting on his armor, and I walked into my room and sat on the bed humming softly to myself. "Hi!" Sweetie chimed in smiling.

I looked to her and smiled playfully ruffling her mane. She giggled, and I smiled wider. "You're going to be beautiful when you grow up." I said to myself with a smile. My door then opened. "Ok. I'm ready." He said putting his helmet on. He already had his battle saddle on his back. Sweetie and I hopped off the bed, and smiled. "Let's go then. But where will we be going?" I asked. "To my home." Lead said with an audible smile. I walked out of the room, and into the halls of the Stable. We saw another service bot as we began walking down the halls. "Service bot." Lead called. It floated over to us. "How may I help you?" It asked. "Which way to the Stable door?" He asked. "Follow me." It said turning around, and floating away. We all followed it, and soon came to the Stable door. "Have a nice day." It said cheerfully floating the other direction. Lead flipped the switch, and the alarm sounded again. Just like the day we got here. He took a fighting stance just incase there were any pegasi that decided to make an entrance. There weren't any thankfully. As we made our way out of the Stable, and ran to the road and slowed our pace once we were out of Canterlot. "So what is your home?" I asked as I limped. "A pillbox." Lead replied. "A what?" I asked. "A bunker. It's on the side of the road." He replied. "Ok. How far from here?" I asked. "About two miles." He replied. "Alright." I said looking to my Pipbuck for the time. Sweetie was riding on my back. "Why did you save me?" She asked. "I saved you because nopony deserves to be pent up." Lead replied.

"That was wrong what those raiders did." I added. Lead of course agreed. "Oh! There is is!" Lead exclaimed pointing up ahead. I looked ahead, and saw a small cylindrical looking shack thing. Of course I had no idea what it was. "That's it?" I asked as we walked up to it. "Mhm." Lead replied with a nod. We walked behind it. Slits in the stone for windows lined the sides. We approached a metal door. "So it's like a Stable?" I asked. "Yeah. But much smaller." Lead replied as he opened the door with his magic. "The door is a thick piece of titanium. The hardest stuff in Equestria. Might be a bit harder than diamond." He explained as he trotted in. I followed along with Sweetie on my back. He closed the door behind us, and smiled walking down a small flight of stairs. I followed, and set Sweetie down on the ground and we all walked down the stairs into a hallway. "First is the living quarters," he said pointing to the first room on the right. "That is the showers." He pointed to the first room on the left. "That is the storage," he then pointed to the room on the far back of the left wall. "And there is the armory." He finished pointing to the room on the far back right wall. "Alright. It's simple to navigate." I said with a smile. "Exactly. That's why these were built. Fast protection, and simple to get around in." He smiled walking into the armory. I walked into the living area, and saw three beds side by side with hooflockers just like the Stable. I walked to the bed farthest from the door and levitated my saddlebags into the hooflocker closing it, and lying on the bed.

Sweetie jumped up, and smiled at me. And I smiled at her. At least, I did what I could. "Hey there little one." I said ruffling her mane. She giggled. "Are you sad?" She asked. "Yeah." I replied. "What's wrong?" She asked. "I miss my home. Not just the Stable, but all of Equestria." I replied. A tear rolling down my cheek. She hugged me tightly. I hugged back. I then broke the hug after a bit. "You'll see it again." She said trying to motivate me. "I won't." I replied. The tears beginning to run down my face. "Won't what?" Lead asked as he trotted into the room. I looked to him. "See my former home of Equestria again." I said sniffling. He walked over to me, and wrapped his hooves and wings around me. I buried my face into his chest and cried. He hugged me tightly, and ran his hoof up and down my back. "How's your leg doin'?" He asked after I was calm. "Still hurts." I replied sniffling. "A stimpack should heal it right up." He said getting off the bed and trotting out of the bedroom returning a moment later with a stimpack in his magic's grasp. I used my magic to take the stimpack, and took the bandages off my leg. I sucked in all the air I could, and jammed it into my leg. I winced, and removed the stimpack. I tossed the stimpack on the bed, and hopped off onto the floor. I set my hoof on the ground. Not putting any weight on it yet. I then began to put weight on it. The pain quickly subsided. I smiled and trotted over to Lead gripping him in a tight hug. He chuckled. "Thank you." I said breaking the hug smiling.

"Your welcome." He said before trotting over to a bed and levitating Sweetie over to him in his magic which was now red. I trotted over to my bed, and sat on it. There were no windows, so I looked to my Pipbuck for the time. 2:21. I set my leg back down on the bed, and lie on my back looking up at the ceiling. I levitated my 10mm pistol in the air, and took out the clip checking the ammo. About half full. I opened my saddlebag, and took out a box of 10mm ammo, and began loading the gun. When I was finished, I put the box back in my saddlebag, and the clip back in the gun cocking it, and aiming down the sites. Lead smiled. "You have a melee weapon?" He asked. I shook my head. "Nope. Got a spare knife?" I asked. He turned, and walked out of the bedroom. "Follow me." he said. I hopped off the bed, and trotted over to him. Down the hall, and to the right into the armory. Inside, there were a few guns, knives, and body armor. I trotted over to the knives looking them over. All with black handles, and silver blades. A few of them looked to be in pretty bad shape. While one looked brand new. I levitated the freshest looking one up, and rotated it around smiling. "You'll need a sheath too." He said trotting out of the room, and coming back a moment later with a sheath for the knife. He put it around my back leg. "Goes around your leg like this." He said tightening it. It wasn't too tight. It felt quite comfortable. I then slid the knife into the sheath. "Thanks." I said nudging him on the shoulder.

He smiled back. Sweetie came trotting in the armory. "Hey, kiddo." Lead said as his horn lit up red. Along with her lightning up the same color, and floating in the air. She giggled, and was set on his back. She looked to me. A smile on her face. I nuzzled her. "Mr. Military pony has a soft spot." I teased. He gave a light low growl. "Shut up." He said. I hugged him. He hugged back. "That may be true, but I can be as fierce as a manticore." He chuckled. "I wouldn't want to see that. You already gave me a scare a few hours ago." I said levitating Sweetie onto my back. "That's because you scared me." He laughed. "I'll be sure to knock next time." I laughed. The laughter soon died down. "So why did you leave the Stable?" He asked. "To find somepony. And something." I replied. "Who and what?" He asked. "My stables art pony, Pallet, and the GCCK or the Garden of Celestia Creation Kit." I replied. "Ah. I've only heard about the GCCK. But the pony I might be able to help you find." He replied. "Good. And when we find the GCCK, we can Equestria of this hell-hole." I said as I trotted back out of the armory, and back into the bedroom. Lead followed me. Sweetie still on my back. I levitated her on the bed in the center of the room, and she sat on her haunches. I trotted over to my bed, and lie in it staring at the ceiling again. I let out a sigh. Sweetie hopped off the bed she was sitting on, and hopped on mine. I looked to her, and smiled as she nuzzled into my chest. I began stroking her mane. She giggled.

I closed my eyes, and smiled. "You and him are the only ones who care about me in this nightmare." I said. "That's not true. There are others who care about you, Sketchy." Lead began as he entered the room. "You might be right. But that number is very slim." I replied sitting up. Still holding sweetie who had fallen asleep in my arms. I looked down to her and kissed her forehead. She nestled herself deeper into my coat. I lightly set her down on the bed not wanting to wake her, and levitated the lid of the hooflocker open, and took out Pallets Pipbuck. I looked it over. It filled me with determination. I set it back in the hooflocker and closed it. "Is that her Pipbuck?" He asked. I nodded in reply. "Yeah. I hope. No. I know she's still alive. I will find her." I said turning to the radio, and seeing something strange. Another radio broadcast. I looked to Lead curiously. "There's a radio system out here?" I asked shocked as I tapped it with my hoof. The message however with encrypted. "That's strange." Lead said trotting closer to me. "I've never received an encrypted message before." He said trotting out of the room. I followed him in hopes that he also had a terminal here. If he did, I would be able to decode this message. I followed him out of the bedroom, and down the hall to the armory. Low and behold, he did have a terminal! I rushed over to it, and quickly typed in the code into the machine. Thankfully, it kept repeating. Once the message was completely decoded, Lead and I were left staring at the word, Appaloosa. We looked to each other in confusion, then back to the monitor.

"Could that be where she is now? Or where we need to go to find her?" Lead asked. I shrugged. "I don't know. But, if we are going to go, we should teach Sweetie how to defend herself tomorrow." I replied. "Eyup." He replied trotting out of the armory. I followed him, and lie in my bed. I looked to my Pipbuck for the time. 3:00. Lead levitated Sweetie over to him, and held her close to his chest kissing her forehead. She snuggled into him. I smiled, and close my eyes.


	6. Chapter Five

Bang! The sound of a pistol echoed throughout the wastes. "Great job!" I cheered. Sweetie was blown back on her haunches. Lead and I laughed. She got back up. "It's not funny!" She whined. Still holding the pistol in her pink magical field. I smiled. "Now, what you just felt was called 'Recoil.' It's what blew you back. Now to stay on your hooves, stand the way you were standing before." Lead said. The filly did as she was told, and stood the way she was just before she fired the gun. I went ahead and adjusted her. "This is a good way. You need to have a leg back here so you can stay on your hooves. This one little detail could mean the difference between life or death." I said. She looked to me, then back down the sights of the gun. "Now pull the trigger." Lead said. Bang! Another shot. This time, she wasn't blown back. She stayed on her hooves. Lead and I cheered. "Again." I said. Bang! "Again." Lead said. Bang! "One more time." I said. Click. The gun is out of ammo. "Good. Now, you'll learn to reload your weapon." I said sitting down next to her. "What you want to do is take the clip out." I said. She looked to me curiously. "How?" She asked handing the gun over to me. Her pink glow fading, and my green glow taking control. I rotated the gun at a 45 degree angle, and pointed with a hoof to a small switch. "This is the clip release." I said as I lay the gun on the ground. Her pink glow took back control of the pistol. She then flipped the switch, and the clip fell out. I smiled. "Good." Lead began. She looked to him.

He picked the clip up. His magic aura black this time. "Now what you want to do, is find a box of ammo like that one over there." He said pointing to a small box no less than a few feet from us. "Go pick it up." He said. Sweetie, with the gun still in her magic's grip, trotted over to the small ammo box, and waited there. Lead and I trotted over to her. She opened the small box with her magic, and took out a bullet. "Alright. Good. Now that you've got a bullet, insert it into the clip." Lead said with a smile on his face. Sweetie looked to the clip, then back to the bullet, then back to the clip. The bullet then started floating toward the clip which slid into place. "Great job!" Lead and I cheered. She smiled, and continued to load the clip until it was full. She then slid the clip back into the gun, but it was facing the wrong way so it didn't go in. She turned it around, and it slid in. "And finally, you have to cock it like this." Lead said as his now red magic aura took control. The top portion of the gun slid back with a click. Then, it shot forward, and remained there, and let Sweetie regain control of the pistol. "Hold on. I'll set up some targets." I said as I looked to my Pipbuck's inventory screen to see if I had some empty Sparkle-Cola bottles. I had three. I smiled as I dug into my saddlebag for the bottles to use as targets. They floated out of my saddlebag. I then began trotting further from Sweetie and Lead. "Point it in the air so you don't shoot him." He told her.

I looked back as I was trotting further away to see the gun tilting 90 degrees. I looked forward again, and set the three bottles down side by side, and finally made my way back to them. Standing behind Sweetie to make sure she didn't shoot me. "Good. Now, aim it at the bottles, and pull the trigger." Lead said with a smile. She aimed the gun toward the bottles, and looked down the sights to get a more accurate shot. A few moments go by, and, Bang! She fired the gun, and bottle on the far left exploded. Bang! Another shot fired from the pistol, and another bottle exploded. Only one bottle left. Bang! A third shot was fired, and the third and final bottle exploded. Lead and I stood speechless at how fast and accurate she was. "Wow." Was all Lead said. "You're a fast learner. And an excellent shot, kiddo." I input. He looked to me, then back to her. "Great job." Lead replied. "Your stance was correct the whole time, and your accuracy was 100 percent." Lead smiled ruffling her mane. She giggled. "I did good?" She asked. He nodded. "Yay!" She exclaimed jumping up and down. "Come on." I said turning back to the pillbox, and trotting toward it. Sweetie, and Lead followed behind me. I opened the thick titanium door, and was about to go inside, when the crack of a rifle cut through the air. "Sniper pony!" Lead yelled and covered Sweetie in a shield with his magic. We all made it inside, and shut the large door. "What the hay was that?!" I asked shocked. "A sniper pony." Lead replied. A second shot was then fired from the unknown sniper. But this one sounded different. A minute goes by, and then, silence.

I had a curious look on my face. "They've stopped?" Lead asked. "Maybe one killed the other?" I asked shrugging. "It sounds like it." Lead replied. I took an apple out of my saddlebag, and saw it was rotten. I chucked that apple out the window, and pulled out another. That one was rotten too. I tossed that one out too. And another. And another. Until I had none left. My stomach growled. "You got any food?" I asked. Lead nodded. "Yeah. I was getting a bit hungry too." He said as he trotted down the small flight of stairs and down the hall to the storage room. Sweetie and I followed him. We saw a small machine plugged into the wall. "This baby here is a water purifier. It's name says it all. It purifies water. But it only makes one whole bottle every two days." He said picking one up, and twisting off the cap, and chugging it. I looked behind him, and counted two more. Excluding the one he already had. I levitated one to myself, and the other to Sweetie. Lead put his now used bottle back under the nozzle of the machine, and water began dripping from said nozzle into the bottle. But the drops were in long intervals. "This is a regular 16 ounce bottle, right?" I asked. He nodded. "Yep." He replied. "And it makes one full bottle every 2 days, right?" I asked. He nodded again. I did some quick math in my head. "So that means, it must make 8 ounces a day. Because 16 divided by 2 is 8." I replied. He smiled. "Yep. Great math." He replied. "Thanks." I replied with a smile. "But we should be headed to Appleloosa. I'll mark the location of where we are now."

I said as I switched to the map on my pipbuck, and zoomed out a bit so I could find the town called, Appeloosa. Once I found it, I tapped it with my hoof, and it made a marker on the map. I also made my way back over to where I was, and placed a marker there. "Now, we won't have to rely on our memories to know where the pillbox is." I smiled as I showed Lead and Sweetie the map zoomed out so they could see how far it was. "That's pretty cool." Lead said. "It sure is." I replied. I trotted up the stairs, and over to the entrance to the pillbox, and pushed it open with my magic. I set Sweetie on my back, and we all then began making our way to Appaloosa. I periodically checked my Pipbuck from time to time to see how far we were. "It's quite a ways away. We should make it there by nightfall." Lead said. I set my leg back down, and continued trotting and looking around. Nothing but small hills, and the desert-like terrain surrounded us. "How much longer?" Sweetie whined. "It shouldn't be much longer." I replied with a smile. We continued walking until I noticed something strange. Two ponies in the distance. "Lead." I called. "Ghouls." He replied as he took out his gun. I did the same, and pointed it at one. When I was close enough, I aimed for the head, and pulled the trigger. Bang! The pony fell dead in the wastes only to be picked at by the winds of time. The other one heard the noise, and came running or limping toward us. Lead pulled the trigger on his AX 50 sniper rifle, and the other pony fell dead.

We made our way closer to them, and I turned green to the face. A horrifying image of a pony, a horribly discolored mare with chunks of her skin missing, and now blood pouring out from the wound in her head. I turned away to avoid vomiting. "Dear Celestia." I said as I regained my normal colors. "Horrifying things." Lead replied as he began trotting away from the two zombie ponies. I quickly followed. Sweetie still on my back. "They're gross." She said as I caught up to Lead. He looked to her. "No kiddin'." He replied. I checked my Pipbuck again to see how long we had in our journey. "Not much longer." I replied as I also looked to the time. 7:00 pm, and setting my leg back on the ground. We continued for what seemed like an eternity. But we finally made it. I got rid of the marker on my map, and looked to the time. 10:00pm. "Well, we made it, but it's 10. Most of the shops are probably closed." I said looking around the seemingly empty setting. "If we don't find who sent that signal, we can rest up here, and head back home." He said as we walked around. We then heard the cock of a gun. My ears perked up, and I stood there listening. I took out my gun which was ready to go, and held it in my magic's grasp. I heard the soft clopping of hooves behind me. I spun around and pointed the gun at Lead who's eyes widened, and pulled the trigger. He slowly opened his eyes again to find he was still alive. He looked to me, and finally behind him. A raider dead at his hooves. He looked shocked turning back to me.

"How did you know?" He asked looking back to Sketchy. "Good ears." He said wiggling them. Sweetie giggled. "No kiddin'. I wouldn't have heard the bucker comin'." He chuckled. "And that's why I-" I was cut off by a gunshot echoing throughout the bleak town. Lead looked to Sweetie. "Time to try out what you learned, kiddo." He said. Swetie cokced her gun, and aimed it at the raider that was slowly approaching them, and pulled the trigger. She missed. She fired again. "Agh!" She hit him in the leg. He fell to the ground hurt, and trotted towards him. The raider suddenly looked scared out of his mind. He got up, and limped away as fast as he could. That is until he was shot in the head. He fell dead on the dirt, and laid there lifeless. I looked very confused. "Why would a raider kill their own kind?" I asked myself as I trotted toward the dead stallion, and looked in the opposite direction in which he fell. A pony far away, presumably a sniper must have shot him. Lead made his way toward him with Sweetie on his back. Lead looked as best he could. "An NCR ranger?" He asked as he looked to me. I looked to him, and shrugged. "I don't know what one of their helmets look like." I replied. He took his helmet off, and set it on the ground pointing to it. "That's what they look like. Red eye sockets, and a sleek design." He explained pointing back to the NCR ranger. But the ranger was gone. Lead looked confused. I looked over to where the pony was. I then looked back to Lead. "A guardian?" I asked. He shrugged. I levitated the helmet up to myself, and slipped it on.

As I looked out the visor, all I saw was red. "It's a good fit." I said through the helmet. My voice became that of the voice off my Pipbucks radio. Kind of muffled, but still completely audible. Expect the helmet made my voice robotic sounding. He smiled. "You like it?" He asked. I nodded. "Yep." I replied taking the helmet off, and set it back on the ground next to him. He put it back on. "Alright." He said looking to me. "Let's look though the rest of the town and see if we can't find the pony." Lead said as he began trotting off as Sweetie and I began following him. I looked back to the dead raider pony, and caught up to Lead. "Why was the raider so scared at the sight of her?" I questioned. He shrugged. "Don't know." He replied. I then looked to Sweetie who smiled. "Grr." She made a scary face. Or at least her attempt at one. I laughed. "Aww. That's adorable." I smiled as I levitated her off Leads back and set her on the ground. She trotted happily in between us. "Split up. We'll cover more ground, and have a faster chance of finding her." I said. He trotted in one direction while I went the other direction. I opened a door, and inside was nothing. I closed the door, and continued onto the next little settlement in the town. I opened this door, and inside was a bed, and a lantern. I trotted inside, and found a note on the mattress. "If you are reading this, that means I am not in Appaloosa anymore. Decode this message to find me." I read aloud. I looked below the readable words to find morse code. A lot of dots and dashes.

I folded the note up, and placed it in my saddlebag. I trotted out of the small settlement to find a building with a terminal in it. I saw Lead trotting around. "Found a terminal, bud?" I asked. He looked to me. "Yeah. Over here." He said as he turned in the opposite direction in which he was headed, and began trotting in that direction. Sweetie and I followed him. We came t an open door, and walked inside. I made my way straight to the terminal, and took the note back out, and unfolded it. And thankfully, the terminal had a translator. I opened the translator, and began decoding the morse code. Once it was decoded, it read, "I have left the Stable in search of a way to bring Equestria back." I read aloud. "Pallet. I know you're out there. And I will find you." I said to myself as I read the message over and over again. "What do you think it means?" Lead asked. "It means she is still out there." I replied as I turned the piece of paper over incase there was something else. There was. I went ahead, and got to work decoding the string of dots and dashes. When that message was decoded, it read, I can bring tears to your eyes and a smile to your face. I form in an instant and last for a lifetime, but I can be forgotten. What am I? "Hmm..." I said bringing a hoof to my chin in thought. "I last a lifetime, but can be forgotten. I can bring a smile to your face, and tears to your eyes." I said pacing back and forward. "What could that mean?" Lead asked. "A memory?" Sweetie guessed. I looked to her. "Yes! But of what?"

I asked as I dug through my saddlebags. "What'ya lookin' for?" Lead asked. I finally found the item I was looking for. Pallet's Pipbuck. I turned it on, and looked around the different menus. Lead and Sweetie sat on either side of me watching me work. I looked to the Pipbuck curiously. "Memory..." I said aloud repeating the word. As I flipped the dial to the Data tab. I slowly scrolled through the items on said screen, and found an encrypted message. I decrypted the message using my Pipbuck. When the message was decrypted, I played it. "If you are listening to this message, good job decoding it. Sketchy, I am so sorry. I did not want you to think I was dead, so I recorded this message before I left, and encrypted it to make sure nopony could access it. Expect you. I am so sorry I left. I can hope you will have the determination to find me. I love you." The message ended. Tears filled my eyes. "You OK, buddy?" Lead asked. I looked to him, and hugged him tightly as I broke down like a small filly. "I miss her so much!" I cried. Lead ran his hoof through my mane and down my back. "Shh... I know you do. And you came all this way, Sketch. Don't give up now. Stay determined." He said as he broke the embrace. I sniffled. "You're right. I won't give up. I will find her." I said slamming my hoof on the dirt floor of the shack. "That's the spirit." He cheered. Sweetie nuzzled my leg. I looked to her, and picked her up holding her to my chest. "You can do this." She said smiling. "Thank you both." I said standing up, sniffling, and wiping my tears away.

I placed the Pipbuck back in my saddlebag, and trotted out of the settlement. Lead and Sweetie followed me out of the building. "Friendship city." Lead said. I looked to him. "What?" I asked. "Friendship city. The safest place in the wastes. I've been there a few times. If they let me in, they should let you in." He said. "Where is it?" I asked. "About a day's walk from here." He replied. I checked my Pipbucks map, and zoomed out as far as it could go. I saw friendship city, and placed a marker on the map, and turned the way the built in compass in my Pipbuck. "You ready?" I asked. Lead shook his head. "No. Let's scavenge for anything. Water, food, ammo." He said walking off to another building. I walked to another, and opened it's door. A few caps. I put them in my saddlebag, and opened the one locker within the room. A box of ammo. I put it in my saddlebag, and opened the other locker. More caps. I scooped them up in my magic, and threw them into my saddlebag. "Now, let's see if there is a Sparkle-Cola vending machine around here." I said exiting the building, and trotting around. I looked around, and saw a long building. I trotted into it, and smiled. "The mess-hall." I said as I trotted over to a Sparkle-Cola vending machine, and putting a few caps in the slot getting the same number of bottles in return. I smiled as I placed them in my saddlebag, and looked around for a bottle opener so I could open bottles on the go. I looked on a table, and found one next to a cap and a skeleton of an Earth pony. I picked the opener up smiling.

"What happened?" Sweetie asked. "He died." I replied as I shoved the opener into my saddlebag, and trotted out of the mess-hall, and back into the barron little town. "Yo, Sketch." I heard Lead call. My ears perked up as I looked into the direction of his voice. "Find anything?" He asked. I nodded. "The mess-hall. I also have something forya." I replied as I levitated a ice cold bottle of Sparkle-Cola, and the bottle opened I had just found out of my saddelbag, and over to him. His black magic aura took control. He opened the bottle, and tossed the cap on the ground levitating the opener back to me, and chugging the soda in 10 seconds flat. He burped, and threw the bottle on the ground. "Eww." Sweetie commented. I laughed. "Good one." I said. He shrugged. "Meh. I'v done better." He smiled as he trotted away from the bottle. "I also found some ammo too. 10mm." I said levitating the two boxes out, and showing them to him. "I'm not a big fan of pistols. I like the big guns." He said looking to one of the two barrels of his battle-saddle on his back, and smiling. Then looking back to me. "Didya find anything?" I asked. He shook his head. "Nope." He replied. I checked the time on my Pipbuck. 12:58. I yawned. Lead chuckled. "Ya tired, bud?" He asked. I nodded. "Mhm." I replied. This made Sweetie yawn, and finally Lead. He chuckled. "Well, let's head back to that shack we found earlier. The one with the message. We'll leave to Friendship City in the morning." He said trotting around to find the shack. We eventually found it. I took my saddlebags off, and set them in the corner. I then hopped in the bed.

"Goodnight, Sketch." Lead said wrapping his wings and hooves around me. "Night, Lead. Night, Sweetie." I said kissing her head wrapping my hooves around her. She giggled. "Goodnight." She replied. We all fell asleep in one big cuddle pile on a single bed.


	7. Chapter Six

I awoke with to the felling of a hoof running through my mane. It was Lead. "Goodmorning." I said. "Mornin'." He replied. "Ready to head out to Friendship City?" He asked. I nodded. "Yeah." I replied softly nuzzling Sweetie. She yawned, and opened her eyes. "Goodmorning." She replied rubbing her eyes trying to wake herself up. I smiled as I kissed her head again, and releasing her from my grip. She got up, and on her hooves trotting over to the door. "I need to pee!" She whined. I chuckled. "Go outside, and beside the building. But don't go too far." I replied as I levitated the pistol Lead had given her over to her. Her pink magic aura took control. "Remember what we taught you." Lead said winking. She smiled and trotted outside to go to the bathroom. Lead released me from his grasp, and I rolled off the mattress, and got up on my hooves. Lead opened his eyes, and I smiled. "Goodmorning." I said. He yawned. "Morning." He replied. Lead levitated up the biggest rounds I had ever seen. On top of that, they glowed red at the tips. "What in Celestia's name are those?" I asked. Lead smirked a smirk and I could have sworn his eyes twinkled. "The beauty you are witnessing is the .58 caliber Anti Material Anti Magic round, AMAM for short. The way these rounds work is really bucking awesome. First, upon hitting bone after entering you, the round flattens, destroying the bone. Then, it exits the rest of the way through ya. The reason I used the AP is so this shit cuts through most armor like bucking butter. If you want, I can craft you some in your caliber." Lead grins. "Thanks. But I think I'll stick with my trusty 10mm." I smiled as I trotted circles around the room. He chuckled. "What are ya doin'?" He asked. "Waking myself up." I said as I then began trotting in place. He smiled. "Well, you keep doing that." He said trotting outside.

Lead sighed as the sun hit his face. There were many reasons he disliked the solar entity. Ignoring that, he glanced over at the rapidly approaching Sweetie, who looked a bit terrified. "Sweetie, what's wrong?" Lead questioned. "Got spooked by a snake?" He added chuckling. Just then, a fusilade of bullets ricocheted harmlessly off Lead's armor. Lead used his magic to switch places with Sweetie, guns ready to fire. "CONTACT!" The loud whirring of Lead's Battle Saddle was the only warning the approaching Raiders had before Lead's precision and high-volumed, high caliber fire sent many to their deaths. The AMAM rounds cut through horns, skulls, wings, and other anatomical extremities, leaving many Raiders bleeding out and left to die in the hot sun. The remaining Raiders wisely retreated. "Come with me, Sweetie. You are going to learn something I had taught to me at your age." The mare follows him closely. "Tell me, Sweetie, how do you see the Raiders before you?" The mare looked confused, "They're ponies like you and I, right?" Lead shakes his head, "Almost. These ponies are shells of their former selves." Lead opens his wings, revealing the infamous seal of the Lunar Legion, officially known as the 666th New Canterlot Republic Rangers. "To survive you must show no emotion. Each pony you kill is not a pony: it is simply another target." He explained to the filly stationed by his side.

"They are terrible." She said. He looked to her. "I know. They once lived in peace." He looked to the sky. "But that was a long time ago." He explained. I rushed out of the building. "I heard gunshots! Is Sweetie alright!?" I asked panicked. "She's right here, Sketch. She's fine." He said as he levitated him onto his back. She giggled, and wrapped her small hooves around him. I trotted over to her breathing a sigh of relief looking to the side of the building to see about five raiders dead in the sand. I looked back to her. "Did you do that!?" I asked shocked that a small filly like her could take on and kill five raiders and leave without a scratch. She shook her head. "I did." Lead said. "That would have been impressive though. I saw how accurate she and fast she was with the three bottles yesterday. She could have taken on all of them. Provided the clip was full." He said. "It was. I filled it last night." I replied. "Good. It's wise to keep your weapons full." He replied. "Also, that piece of junk won't do much." He added levitating the 10mm pistol toward himself. "Yeah it does." I said. "I'd like to stick with it thank you very much." I said taking the gun back. Lead chuckles, "I meant your actual rounds, recruit. I can make AMAMs in that caliber." Lead rotates his left gun 90 degrees and puts a bullet into a Raider's head. "We need to get moving. Grab your shit. We're Oscar Mike." He said. "Yes sir." I said walking back into the building, and picking my saddlebag back up, and putting it back on my back, and trotted out of the building. "And what's that last part mean?" I asked. He chuckled. "It means Outward Movement. It's military lingo." He said turning away from the sun, and began trotting away from the small town.

I followed him. Sweetie on my back. "So those AMAMs. How did you come up with them?" I asked. "To be honest? Years of trial and error, research, and planning. Now, though, it's literally a breeze to make. I can make the color be different too if you want," Lead replied. "The concept for the AMAMs I use are actually based on the Minie Ball musket round. That's human weapons tech if you're confused." Lead lights a cigarette and trots around Sweetie and I. "Yeah, you both need better barding. Too bad you can't use what I got. I mean, you are ABLE to use it, but the weight is gonna make your combat effectiveness drop like a Megaspell." Lead begins taking the armored barding off the dead Raiders and descends into the settlement once more. He reemerges nearly an hour later with two sets of barding. "Alright, grunts. Put these on." He levitates over two helmets that look almost identical to his. "You're gonna wanna wear these too. I put a squad, short distance, and long-distance radio in the helmets. Now we can communicate easier and silently. Wanna do a radio check?" He asks. I levitate the helmet around examining it. I see a small red button on the side. I then put the helmet on, and press the small button with a hoof. "Hello?" I call. He nods bringing his hoof up to the button on his helmet. "It works. Now, let's head out. We're-" He said. But I cut him off. "Oscar Mike." I said remembering what he had said a moment before. "Good. You're gettin' it, recruit." He said. An audible smile in his voice as he again made his way out of the settlement, and into the heat of day. I put Sweetie on my back, and trotted after Lead who did not hesitate to start walking away from the small town, and slowly toward Friendship City.

Lead's POV (Third Person)

It's common knowledge that Raiders in these regions like to pose as NCR soldiers or even wounded civilians. "Sketch, I want you and Sweetie to stay three feet behind me. If I go down, run back to the Stable. I've lived my life. You two still have your lives." It was at this moment, Lead let his concern for his squad rise to the surface. He alone would lead them through this campaign. Lead halts the group. "Hold up. Stay put." Lead advances along the path then lies down and crawls into the middle of the road. "Shit. Sketch, take the left of the road. Sweetie, stay with him. I'll take the right side point. Oorah?," he commands. "Yes, sir." Sketch replied as he ran to the left side of the road, drew his pistol, and waited for further orders. That's when the mortar rounds fell. "BUCK! GET TO COVER! MOVE!" He began running toward where the rounds originated from. He glowed red, then black, then lead gray, and finally all three. His horn charges up silently and Lead's patented spell was cast. This spell is called The Raven for good reason. It brings death to all it touches. "'Nevermore, quoth the raven.'" A fifty mile wide and hundred mile long scorch of death is all that's left of what once was a Raider mortar crew. Lead trots on, the few flames reflecting in his visor ominously. "You two coming or do I gotta carry you like foals?"

"Coming, sir." I reply as I trot up to the stallion. The radio crackles to life, "-ROW! I SAY AGAIN, THIS IS DASHER 7-2, BROKEN ARROW!" Lead immediately takes charge, "Solid Copy, 7-2. This is Dasher 7-1, breaking radio silence. I authenticate: Foxtrot Lima. How copy, over?" The reply is swift. "ROGER THAT! AO FIFTY METERS SOUTH OF HILL KINDNESS!" That's almost two miles north of the group now. "Stand By for strafing run and ground support. Be advised, ground support is November Uniform. Say again, NOVEMBER UNIFORM infantry support." Lead turns to Sketch and Sweetie. "I want you two to link up with that NCR unit and fight for them like you did with me. They know you're not enlisted." He looks to the sky. "I'll meet you there." He opens his wings and blasts upward and zooms off toward the fighting. When Lead arrived at the battlefield, he saw a group of Zebra combatants that had convinced a few hundred ponies to join their cause and fight their kin. Lead clicks on his radio, "Commencing strafing run. Guns, guns, guns." He comes back around, "Guns, guns, guns." The result is in the NCR unit's favor, as they can now fight the Zebra-Equine unit to their advantage.

(Back to Sketch's POV)

It seemed like an eternity we had been trotting along the desert that was now Equestria. My stomach growled. "Anypony hungry?" I asked. "Sure." Lead said. I opened my saddlebag, and a horrid smell filled my nostrils. The apples had rotted. I tossed them all out, and onto the ground. "Well that's out of the question now." He said as he continued walking. "Got any water?" He asked. I caught up beside him, and looked into my saddlebags once again. "Only one left." I replied. "We'll restock when we get to Friendship City. How many caps ya got, recruit?" He asked. I checked my Pipbucks item screen, and saw 'Bottle Caps'. And to the right of it with parenthesis, the number 235. "235." I said the number aloud. "That should be enough for some food and water." He said. I looked to my Pipbucks map, to see how much longer we had. Surprisingly, not long at all as I looked ahead, and saw something in the distance. "There she is." He whistled. "It's pretty." Sweetie commented. "It sure is." I replied. "Yeah..." Lead said, hesitantly. I looked to him as we walked toward the city. "What is it?" I asked. "I'll...provide perimeter support and overwatch," he said. I looked confused. "What? Why?" I asked. "I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you." He replied. As we get within about five miles of Friendship City, Lead suddenly and swiftly shoves Sweetie and I with him to the ground behind a small, rolling hill. Taking out a set of binoculars with sunshades, the veteran fighter growls lowly, "The buck are they doing here? That's almost a thousand miles from where they should be. Bucking great." Lead's radio squawks to life, "All NCR Callsigns, this is Dasher 7 Actual, breaking radio silence. I have positive visual ID on Zebra regulars. I say again, positive ID Tango Zulu Romeos. How copy?" There is a pregnant pause. "This is Baker 2-1. Glad you're back, 7-1. But, uhhh, say again the tail end of your last. You were breaking up a bit after ID." "Acknowledged. I have a visual on Tango Zulu Romeos at Grid Papa Uniform Two Five Niner One One Niner, break!" Bullets start riddling the hill and Lead returns fire in controlled bursts, "I SAY AGAIN, POSITIVE VISUAL ID ON PLATOON OF ZEBRA REGULARS! WE ARE UNDER FIRE!" Lead turns to me and begins yelling at me loudly, "OPEN FIRE! OPEN FIRE!" I fire my pistol at the zebra soldiers, but my bullets seem to do little more than annoy the enemies of Equestria. There is virtually no delay in response from the radio. "Solid Copy on all. Stand by, I'm calling it in. Warhammer, this is Baker 2-1, stand by for fire mission." "Baker 2 Actual, this is Warhammer, standing by for fire mission."

"Priority Gold One. I say again, Priority Gold One, Code Foxtrot Lima Black: belay all previous orders, break. Grid to Suppress: Golf Foxtrot Two Seven Niner Three One Six. Grid to Mark: Golf Foxtrot Five Seven Eight Five Six Niner, over." The artillery gunner replies in seconds, "Solid Copy on Priority Gold One Foxtrot Lima Code Black. Grid to Suppress: Golf Foxtrot Two Seven Niner Three One Six. Grid to Mark: Golf Foxtrot Five Seven Eight Five Six Niner, out." "Column of infantry, request Splash. Danger Close, over." "Column of infantry, request Splash. Danger Close, out. Message to observer: Bravo two rounds, two guns in effect. Target number Alpha Whisky Three Two Three, over." "Message to observer: Bravo two rounds, two guns in effect. Target number Alpha Whisky Three Two Three, out." "Shot, over." "Shot, out." "Splash, over." "Splash, out." The rounds send the Zebras into hysterics, a little over half of the platoon biting the dust. "Good effect on target! Callsign Oscar Mike! Stand by for further targets, over!" The remnants of the platoon have us pinned behind the hill and are approaching quickly. Lead crawls toward the top of the hill and pulls out the largest combat knife I've ever laid eyes on, one meant for Earth ponies, judging by the Brass Hoof grip. "GRAB THEIR TAGS! THEY WON'T MISS THEM!" A zebra, this one a Specialist by the rank patch, approaches Lead and goes to run him through with their rifle bayonet. Time seems to slow down. Lead's voice is as if he is next to me, "First, Wave to Satan." Lead smacks down the rifle, the bayonet imbedding into the ground. "Next, Pillage the Nest." Lead rushes forward and is literally in the zebra's face. "Then, Grab the Tie." The zebra is pulled toward Lead by his dogtags. Lead slits the zebra's jugular with ease. It seemed this was second-nature to him. The zebra was dead before it hit the ground, it's dog tags now in a pocket of Lead's gear, were surely other such victims' tags resided in a mass grave. Time resumed in a feeling similar to a head rush. "Time to shed this skin." Lead's appearance ripples and before me stands the last known Equestrian Royal Guard, Lieutenant Colonel Flying Lead.

After the skirmish was over, Zebra corpses littered the ground. Lead, Sweetie, and I made our way to the city. Lead began collecting their tags with no emotion. Lead sighs and looks at Friendship City. In the sun, Lead's medals shine brightly. The brightest is one of his Cutie Mark, a white .58 caliber AMAM sprouting red pegasi wings that overlays an orange shield. Lead's armor is dented and dirty. "Why is your armor so dirty?" Lead smiles, "A knight in shining armor has not had his armor truly tested." I smirked. "I guess that's true." He replied. "Oh, thank you three so much!" A stallion cried. "Huh? What's going on?" I asked as I looked to him. "Those Zebras have been trying to take over this city for years. They stole all our supplies and weapons. But after you three came along and killed them all off, we have nothing left to fear!" He said cheerfully. Lead smirked. "Just another day in the office." He smiled. I nudged him with my hoof. "Lead, don't be so cocky." I laughed. "I ain't cocky. I'm just a sarcastic shit," he said. "Whatever you say." I rolled my eyes smiling. I then looked back to the stallion. "You also seem to have precious cargo with you two." He smiled. I looked to Sweetie who hid behind Lead. "Aww. It's OK. I won't bite." The stallion promised. Sweetie slowly inched her way out from behind him. "See?" He smiled as he inched his hoof out to pet her. "Hey. Do you have any food or water?" I asked. He looked to me sadly shaking his head. "No. They took everything. But while you three are here, make yourselves at home. This is the happiest, and friendliest city in the waste." He smiled. "Well, thank you." Lead smiled. "Well, we're finally here. My Pipbuck said to come here." I said bringing my hoof to my chin in thought.

I then heard the cock of a pistol. My ears twitched. I felt it press against the back of my head. "You were right about the guardian." A robotic voice said. My eyes widened. "What do you mean?" I asked. "Back in Appaloosa. On the hill. Do you know who that was?" The voice asked. "No." I replied. I heard the pony put the gun back. "Turn around." The pony said. I did as I was told, and turned around. I was then met by a pony who smacked me in the face with her lips. I did not see who it was but I kissed back. My eyes widened again. "The only pony I know that kisses like that is..." I began. The pony broke the kiss, and I saw who it was. Pallet. "By the goddesses..." I said softly dropping to my knees. She gave that same soft smile I saw a few weeks back. "It's me." She said. I tightly wrapped my hooves around her, and weeped into her shoulder. She ran her hoof up and down my back. "Shh. It's OK." She cooed as she held me close. I continued for what seemed like hours. I finally broke the hug, and looked into her eyes. She wiped my tears away with her hoof. "Is this Pallet?" Lead asked. "Y- yeah." I replied hugging her again. She turned around, and smiled. "It's nice to meet you. What's your name?" She asked. "Lieutenant Colonel Flying Lead." He replied in monotone. She brought her hoof up to her forehead in a salute. "It's nice to meet you, sir." She said. "At ease." Lead said. Pallet put her hoof back down on the ground. He nodded in respect. Pallet then felt a soft nudge on her leg. She looked down to see Sweetie in front of her. "Oh, hello there." She smiled. "Hi!" Sweetie said. Pallet giggled. "What's your name?" She asked. "Sweetie Drops." She replied. "Well, that's a wonderful name." Pallet replied. Sweetie giggled. "Thank you. You're pretty." She commented. "Thank you. You are too." Pallet replied as she looked to Lead. "Where'd you find her?" She asked. "In a raiders nest in Ponyville in a cage. She had cigarette burns all over her, and just looked awful." He replied levitating her onto his back. She giggled and hugged him. "Oh, wow." She said. She then looked back to me. "And I see you found my message." She said. "Yeah. I did. That's how we knew to go to Appaloosa." I replied. Something then clicked in my head. "Are we ever going to finish that mural back at the Stable?" I asked. "We will. We just need to get back." She replied. "What mural?" Lead asked. Pallet looked to him. "Oh, back at Stable 2, which is where him and I are from, I started a mural in the Stable's mess-hall, but didn't finish it before I left." She replied. "Oh. I wonder what it'll be..." He said, with a hint of venom in his voice.

"What's wrong, buddy?" I asked. "Unknown to you civvies, us military ponies have major beef with Stables. Not to mention how shitty their security training is. I swear the best part of them ran out the crack of their momma's flank and ended up as a brown spot on the mattress!" Lead is on a roll now. "I mean, for buck's sake! WHO IN THE ABSOLUTE BUCK MAKES A TEST TO DECIDE YOUR BUCKING JOB?! SO WHAT, I'D BE A BUCKING MASSEUSE? DO I LOOK LIKE A BUCK TOY, PRIVATE THUNDERLANE?!" He yelled, eyes widening. The memories were resurfacing. Faust, have mercy. "Wow. Calm down. I'm perfectly happy with who I am. Test or no." I replied. Lead's response is to sit on a rock and stare off into space: The Thousand Yard Stare. Sweetie looked like she was about to cry. "I'll go talk to him." I told them, and walked off and over to Lead placing a hoof on his shoulder. Then the weirdest thing next to Pallet kissing me out of nowhere happened: I saw a battlefield from Tartarus. Artillery rounds, bullets, and explosions were everywhere. I felt powerless. That's when an angel descended from the Heavens... A butter yellow pegasus in the shape of the Ministry of Peace's head. All was quiet. "From your lips to Celestia's ears." She said. I looked to the angle in awe. "Who is that?" I asked. "That is Fluttershy Hurricane-Faintheart." He replied. I blinked, and the next thing I knew, she was gone. Lead looked like he had seen the end. "Grab your bucking shit and get ready to move out in five. That's an order." He trots off and retrieves the City's weapons and supplies stolen. I caught up to him. "If I may ask, where are we going?" I asked as I looked to Pallet. "Glad you asked! We're going back to the NCR. Why? You got a problem with it?" "No sir." I replied, trying to hide my new fear of the officer. "Get Pallet a radio and let's get this shit on the road." Lead trots off.

Lead sighs as he looks over his gear. Typically, a Legionnaire weighs about three hundred pounds with gear, weapons, non-combat supplies, and ammo. If the order to load maximum ammo is issued or situation warrants such circumstances, instead of carrying a third of the gear weight in ammo, the proportion is basically their entire weight in ammunition and the pony weighs near five hundred and twenty five pounds. Lead carries almost five times that. It's reason why there are few pegasi in Luna's Legion. The other reason is because Legion combat rigs have two purposes: protect the Legionnaire from everything save being struck down by Faust herself; and to protect Equestrian secrets. The last one is achieved by detonating with the force of a hundred tons of TNT. There have only been two ponies that fell in the line of duty. One of them has a connection to Sketch. If he finds out, it won't be good. After we are finally on the road from Friendship city, I look to Lead. "We need to find the GCCK." I said. He rolls his eyes, "If it's not a smoldering crater. Or a myth. Or both." Pallet gains a confused, yet worried, look, "How can you be so cynical?" At that, Lead about faces in an instant and is in Pallet's face, startling her. "Let's get something straight, grunt. You had the luxury of a Stable. Me? I was raised in Their Majesties' barracks from 17. I've lost a foreleg, had an illegal experiment performed on me, and then watched the outbreak of the Great War. I'm not cynical. I'm a realist. You get all that, Private? Or do I need to repeat myself for you?" His glare is one that would send a dragon running for its brood mother. "Lead." I call sternly. He turns to me glaring. "Leave her alone." I demand. In the blink of an eye, he draws his knife. But I am too quick for him as the knife lands blade in the ground. He looks to me shocked. "I said, leave her alone. Am I understood?" I ask sternly. "Why should I take orders from you? It's because of me your flank is still alive!" He began yelling. "It's because of me you have a friend out in this shit hole!" Lead stiffens. A loud whistling pierces the sky. "BUCK! GET T-!" He shoves me out of the way as an explosion blasts Lead and I off our hooves, throwing the world into darkness.


End file.
